July 27, 2008

STEWART FRIESEN TAKES 358-MODIFIED WIN
AT UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY, ENDS WARD’S STREAK

VERNON, NY- After three consecutive rainouts, Mother Nature finally decided to be a race fan this past Sunday with beautiful weather making a rare appearance this past Sunday, July 27, at the Utica-Rome Speedway. Parks Trucking and Luther Excavating presented the night’s exciting action which saw Pat Ward’s win streak in the 358-Modifieds come to an end when Stewart Friesen captured the 30 lap win which was worth $1,600.

When the headline 358-Modifieds took the green, out side pole sitter Gus Schmidt grabbed the early lead until a pit stop on lap two ended his chances at the win. Paul Jensen was scored as the new leader and remained there until lap six, when eighth place starter Stewart Friesen charged by to take over the top spot. With ten laps in the books, it was Friesen, Bob Henry Jr., Jensen, Pat Ward, and Ted Lamb riding in the top five.

With Friesen sailing out front, Ward was trying to get to the front in an attempt to keep his three race win streak alive, and at the halfway point Ward was in the second spot as he dropped Henry to third. As lap 20 was scored, Friesen had a huge lead with Ward doing everything he could to run him down with little success. Ward then had to fend off a hard charging Ronnie Johnson who had claimed the third spot after starting in 14th spot. A caution came out with five to go, but both Ward and Johnson had nothing for Friesen as he raced away to his third win of the season. Ward, Johnson, Willie Decker, and Henry filled out the top five spots with Jim Davis, Jamie Christian, Jensen, Bobby Varin, and Jeff Kotary chasing to round out the top ten.

Pole sitter Casey Williams was the early leader of the 40 lap Race of Champions Dart Dirt Sportsman Series event, only to have outside pole sitter and current RoC point leader Brad Alger take over on lap five. Alger would open up a large lead, and as lap 10 was scored, he was being chased by Williams, Jim Rothwell, Chris Hile, and Jason Rood. Alger’s luck changed on lap 16 however, as he slowed with a left rear flat. When he ducked into the pits to change the tire, Rothwell was the new leader of the race.

At the halfway point of the race, Rothwell had control of the event with Williams still running in the runner up spot with Matt Janczuk, Jeremy Vunk, and Alger now back into the fifth spot with a new tire. Alger’s charge back the front wasn’t over there, as slipped into fourth by lap 23 and then into third on lap 25. For the next handful of circuits, Alger worked over Vunk for the second spot, finally taking on lap 32. As the field took the white flag, Rothwell seemingly had the race in the bag until turn four, where he jumped the cushion. Alger dashed by Rothwell for the position and the $1,000 payday while Rothwell barely nipped Vunk at the line for second. Williams and Janczuk rounded out the top five.

Pro Stock action saw Jim Normoyle take over the lead on lap 15 of the 20 lap event from Shawn Frost, and then easily pull away from the field to find victory lane for the third time this season. Bret Belden, Tom Denton, Bill Knapp, and Rob Seavy chased Normoyle to the finish.

Russ Marsden took the lead from Chris Carr in turn two on the final lap of the Pure Stock 15 lap affair, then he had to survive Carr’s last ditch attempt to regain the lead to grab his sixth win of the season. Carr would finish a close second with Phil Norman, Frank Hyatt, and Rick Breed trailing.

The popular Fan Appreciation Night, featuring $5 general admission, is on tap for next Sunday August 3 with a full slate of racing from the 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks plus the rain delayed Sportsman feature from June 15. Gates open for Mirabito Fuel Group & William Fuller Mason Contractor Night at 3 p.m. with racing going off at 5:30 p.m.

PARKS TRUCKING & LUTHER EXCAVATING RACE SUMMARY

RACE OF CHAMPIONS DART DIRT SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (40 LAPS)- BRAD ALGER, Jim Rothwell, Jeremy Vunk, Casey Williams, Matt Janczuk, Jason Rood, Mike Loney, Jack Miller, AJ Filbeck, Frank Doty, Charlie Henderson, Justin Holland, Rob Hile, Jamie Batzel, Steve Way, Chris Hile, Tim Nye, Jeff Leslie, Bill Trexler Jr., Todd Fey, Mike Button, Craig Pope, Steve Yankowski, and Damien Reynolds. DNS- Nick Rochinski

358-MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 LAPS)- STEWART FRIESEN, Pat Ward, Ronnie Johnson, Willy Decker, Bob Henry Jr., Jim Davis, Jamie Christian, Paul Jensen, Bobby Varin, Jeff Kotary, Paul Kinney, Gus Schmidt, Dave Rauscher, Brad Godshalk, Billy Shantel Jr., John Ramsey, Darren Keyser, Ted Lamb, Brian Murphy, Mitch Gibbs, and Alan Barker. DNS- Danny Varin, Larry Wight, and David Orr.

PRO STOCK FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS)- JIM NORMOYLE, Bret Belden, Tom Denton, Bill Knapp, Rob Seavy, Joe Palmer, Jack Terrell, Dan Ody, Ed Ostrander, Dave Meeks, Rich Daunehauer, Mark Effner, Eric Vanderhoof, Jim Grippen, Shawn Frost, Dave Moyer, and Chuck Wentrick. DNS-AJ Digsby.

PURE STOCK FEATURE FINISH (15 LAPS)- RUSS MARSDEN, Chris Carr, Phil Norman, Frank Hyatt, Rick Breed, Ron Hawker, Waylan Wilczek, Chris Cunningham, Cale Hoffman, Bill Mason, Andy Potter, Keith Stevenson, Robert Thiemes, Al Harris, Jim Richmond, Scott Wheelock, Kelly Pope, Tim Janczuk, and Rick Trexler. DNS- Jim Thomas, John Wesolowski, and Chuck Cushman.